The R&A presented this Wednesday a new five-year international strategy with a clear objective: open golf to millions more people around the world and capitalise on the strong growth the sport is currently experiencing.
The governing body of golf outside the United States and Mexico announced its roadmap under the slogan ‘Opening Golf to the World’ (open golf to the world), a plan that seeks to increase global participation, improve playing frequency and strengthen golf’s social, economic and community impact in the coming years.
The launch of this strategy is backed by particularly positive data. According to research that The R&A will publish soon, 112.2 million adults and young people currently play golf in all its forms worldwide outside the United States and Mexico, a record figure that represents an increase of 4.2 million players compared with 2024.
Golf continues to grow among young people and new audiences
The data reflect a particularly strong trend among younger audiences. In total, 65 million adults play golf, one million more than the previous year, while 47.1 million junior players participate in the sport, representing a spectacular increase of 3.2 million in just one year.
In addition, alternative formats and off-course play continue to surge. A total of 68.3 million people take part in formats such as driving ranges, indoor simulators, recreational experiences or hybrid facilities, a key route to attract new fans.
This evolution confirms that golf is broadening its social base and modernising its image, something especially visible in recent years thanks to the rise of technology, simulators and more accessible experiences for new audiences.
The five major objectives through to 2031
As part of this new strategy, The R&A has set concrete, measurable targets for the next five years:
- Attract 22 million new golfers
- Generate over £25 billion in social value
- Create over £1.5 billion in economic impact through its championships
- Establish more than 200 strategic investment partnerships in golf
- Exceed 5 billion fan interactions across attendance, television and digital platforms
Mark Darbon: “Golf is in a very strong position”
Mark Darbon, chief executive of The R&A, highlighted the current strength of the sport and the historic opportunity it faces: “Golf is in a very strong position and these new figures show that participation continues to grow worldwide, especially among younger audiences”.
Darbon added that the challenge now is to turn that current momentum into sustainable growth: “Our task now is to transform this moment into long-term growth, reaching more people, generating greater impact and ensuring that golf continues to grow in all regions of the world”.
Three strategic pillars: Unite, Inspire and Lead
The strategy rests on three main areas of action:
Unite
The R&A will strengthen the foundations of the sport through global governance, updating the Rules of Golf, the maintenance of the World Handicap System, equipment regulation and oversight of international rankings.
It will also lead the integration of new formats such as:
- Indoor golf with simulators
- Driving ranges
- Adventure golf
- Golf-related recreational experiences
Inspire
The second pillar aims to use major tournaments as an engine of growth and visibility.
The Open Championship will continue to evolve as one of the world’s major sporting events, expanding its international reach.
For its part, the AIG Women’s Open continues to grow as a benchmark for women’s golf worldwide.
In addition, the rest of the amateur calendar will be optimised and new formats aimed at emerging audiences will be developed.
Lead
The R&A will work with national federations and sector stakeholders to open golf up to underrepresented groups, especially:
- Women
- Young people
- New and emerging markets
Environmental sustainability of courses will also be promoted and technology will be used to improve the player experience and reinforce golf’s social and economic value.
A key moment for the future of golf
The announcement confirms that golf is going through an unusually broad period of global expansion in its recent history. After years of transformation, new audiences and innovative formats, The R&A wants to turn this growth into a solid foundation for future generations.
The message from St Andrews is clear: golf does not just want to grow, but to become a more open, modern and universal sport.
